Four typologies for understanding local information
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-05-2021-0083 |
| Published date | 20 January 2022 |
| Date | 20 January 2022 |
| Pages | 376-390 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information in society,Information literacy,Library & information services |
| Author | Pussadee Nonthacumjane,Jan Michael Nolin |
Four typologies for
understanding local information
Pussadee Nonthacumjane and Jan Michael Nolin
The Swedish School of Library and Information Science,
University of Borås, Borås, Sweden
Abstract
Purpose –This studyaims to propose the four different typologiesfor understanding local information.
Design/methodology/approach –This study applied a co nceptual approach to analyze and clarify
how the concept local information can be understood in wildly different ways. Furthermore, this study
employed conceptual analysis of 36 studies.For the conceptual analysis, coding was applied to formulate
and abstract four typologies for understanding local information with specific focus on the Thai cultural
heritage setting.
Findings –The four differenttypologies include local information as an array of differentinterpretations as
diverse meanings of local, local information as cultural heritage, local informationas subject of information
managementand situated local information.
Research limitations/implications –This study mainlyfocuses relevant typologies for understanding
local informationin the Thai context.
Originality/value –This study contributesand extends the literature in the localinformation field and the
cultural heritage context. In addition,an eclectic strategy of using several alternative typologies for dealing
with essentially contested concepts is suggested. This can be useful not only for supporting librarians
working withlocal information but also in other practices dealing with broadlydefined concepts.
Keywords Typologies of information, Concept of local information, Cultural heritage,
Tangible cultural heritage, Intangible cultural heritage, Information management,
Situated local information, Thailand
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
Most librarians work with clearly defined tasks within established institutions, whether
they be public libraries, school libraries or academic libraries. However, sometimes
librarians are tasked with challenges that are less defined. This can, for instance, be in the
context of attending to policy directives. In such cases, librarians may need to find
interpretations of lofty policy ideals. Additionally, stakeholders separate from librarians
may be involved in following up policy directives and there may be implicit or explicit
struggles concerninghow to understand a broadly articulated concept. The current article is
concerned with the difficulthandling of one such concept: local information.
Local informationis a concept that is used both for policy and by variousprofessionals in
distinct practices. It is, for instance, used in cultural policy discussions on cultural heritage,
which is the particular focus of this article. Local information is a complicated concept as
© Pussadee Nonthacumjane and Jan Michael Nolin. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This
article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may
reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and
non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full
terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
GKMC
72,4/5
376
Received9 May 2021
Revised24 August 2021
26November 2021
Accepted23 December 2021
GlobalKnowledge, Memory and
Communication
Vol.72 No. 4/5, 2023
pp. 376-390
EmeraldPublishing Limited
2514-9342
DOI 10.1108/GKMC-05-2021-0083
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